A rapist is the outer manifestation of man’s inner tendency to treat women as a pleasure object. This attitude is promoted by advertisement, films and many other mediums. The mental atmosphere of human beings is full of such filth. A person who outrages a woman’s modesty is only the end point symptom of a larger widespread disease. Its other signs are unbridled free sex, ideologies that promote sexual emancipation, companies that promote skimpy titillating dresses, parties that encourage human beings to behave like animals, rave parties and alcohol and, most of all the largest money market today through pornography.
Can we find a radical solution without man evolving towards a higher consciousness and a way of life that promotes Dharma, priority, even refinement of sexual tendencies? Or are we happy treating isolated symptoms rather than find the true remedy?
Punishing may act as a deterrent. Harsh punishment is the way Islamists tried to stop these acts. But human nature found a more convenient way by having harems and indulging wildly in prostitution by stepping out of the hard world.
Reforming them while keeping in the prison for a long term may be a better idea but it is still a far way to go. It would need people who are equipped to undertake this.
Anyways these are temporary remedies. Personally I don’t think there is any lasting remedy for this and other evils without significant transformation of the human consciousness, a general uplifting of the present natural man into the spiritual being, creating an overall psychological atmosphere that breathes beauty and nobility, courage and a higher way of life. And to achieve this the first necessity is to refine and purify our own being. If we can do it sufficiently it is likely to have a little effect on our immediate circle and at some point eventually cascade into a larger collectivity and seep into the human psyche.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
